Everton ‘surprised’ by failed Michael Keane appeal over red card for pulling opponent’s hair | OneFootball

Everton have pronounced themselves “surprised” and “disappointed” that their appeal against Michael Keane’s red card for pulling the hair of Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare failed.

Everton do not believe the centre-back’s behaviour met the definition of violent conduct, arguing his actions were relatively gentle and not intentional.

Keane ended up grabbing the forward’s hair as both jumped for a header and Everton launched a defence of the 32-year-old’s character, saying he had never previously been sent off for violent conduct and had always played “ethically”.

They had also hoped that, if banned, his punishment would be reduced but Keane is instead suspended for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Sunderland plus the Premier League matches with Aston Villa and Leeds.

Everton will also be without Jack Grealish against Sunderland after he was dismissed later in the 1-1 draw with Wolves, collecting two bookings for dissent.

Everton said in a statement: “Everton Football Club is disappointed to report than an appeal against Michael Keane’s dismissal in Wednesday’s Premier League fixture with Wolves has been rejected by an FA panel.

“Whilst the majority ruling of the three-person panel to uphold the dismissal and three game suspension is a decision we must accept, we are nevertheless surprised.

“We appealed in the firm belief the incident did not meet the threshold for violent conduct as defined in the rules, and that the action was neither forceful nor intentional.

Michael Keane of Everton pulls the hair of Tolu Arokodare of Wolves (Getty Images)

“Our appeal was also lodged in support of Michael Keane, a player who plays the game with the highest ethical standards and who, prior to Wednesday, had never been dismissed for violent conduct in his career. It is our firm belief that the severity of the three-game suspension is clearly excessive, and we are surprised and disappointed that this point of appeal has also been rejected.”

David Moyes, meanwhile, believed the role VAR official Chris Kavanagh played in Keane's dismissal was embarrassing and the whole system was "in a difficult position".

"Three games... it shouldn't even have been any games but I'm more embarrassed for whoever was on VAR," said the Scot.

"This was a young referee (Tom Kirk) doing only his third or fourth game and VAR gave him a terrible decision. VAR didn't need to get involved in that at all, looking for the smallest things and probably things I don't think anyone would have paid any interest in otherwise.

"They are doing the best they can but if that is the best they can do at the moment, then they are in a difficult position."

Moyes pointed to other inconsistencies, such as Hwang Hee-chan scraping his studs down the calf of Harrison Armstrong and Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli throwing a ball at injured Liverpool defender Conor Bradley before trying to haul him off the pitch.

"What Michael Keane did was a sending-off and a three-game ban but the (Hwang) tackle was a nothing in the game and not recognised by VAR or the referee," Moyes added.

"We saw last night it's OK to throw a ball at somebody and pick them up with a bad injury but have a little pull of someone's hair accidentally means a three-game ban - that's quite extraordinary for me. It sounds as though they have got all their things in the wrong places at the moment."